GIS FOR HEALTH SERVICES

Abstract

Technology controls our life in almost all fields. Health services are one of these fields which are widely affected by the advances in spatial information technology. Spatial information technology includes Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), remote sensing, and spatial data management. GIS helps planners in planning and monitoring health care facilities. This enables health authorities matching the facility supply with the relevant demand. Utilization of GIS spatial analysis also promotes the standards of health services. That is why health authorities give investment priority to improve health services employing GIS. Other Applications of GIS and GPS in emergency geographic information services and infection control are appeared. Using GIS in planning new health care facility opens multiple issues. These issues are the locality definition, spatial epidemiology, socioeconomic status and health status taking into account age and sex variations in the area concerned. In this paper, the existing situation of public health care facilities in Assuit city, Egypt is assessed according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Population in Egypt "MOHP".